Business Transactions

Should Founder’s Stock be Subject to Vesting Before a Venture Financing?

November 27, 2015 | Mark Figueiredo

Start-ups are popping up all around the country. As our society continues its shift towards a strong, tech-driven economy, more and more individuals are looking to find the “next big thing,” especially in the tech industry. Entrepreneurs are more and more motivated by success stories such as those of Uber, Facebook, and Airbnb.

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But tech start-ups, while popular, are just one of the types of businesses that are appearing in the commercial landscape. 514,000 people became new business owners in 2012. As the US economy continues to improve, that number continues increasing. Venture financing is a driving force behind the dynamic growth of small businesses such as start-ups. The National Venture Capital Association estimates that venture capital firms manage nearly $193 billion in total capital.

Vesting Schedules

What State Should I Incorporate In?

November 20, 2015 | Mark Figueiredo

When a person is considering starting a business, one of the first questions that often arises is which state to incorporate in. Many people simply choose the state in which they live and plan to do business, as it often seems to be the easiest and simply makes sense. In many cases, the decision to incorporate in your state of residence is perfectly fine and has no real long-term impact. It is important to note, however, that the choice of jurisdiction in which a business is incorporated has the potential to have a significant effect on a company’s tax liability and the way in which the business is run on a day-to-day basis. For this reason, anyone who is considering forming a business should discuss his or her options with an experienced Silicon Valley startup attorney familiar with corporate law throughout the United States.

Why does it matter?

Corporations and Limited Liability Companies, two of the most popular business formations that can shield owners from personal liability, are created by state law. As a result, there are 50 different sets of rules that apply to business formation and corporate governance. Furthermore, each state has a separate state taxation scheme that can result in significant differences in tax liability. Some of the issues that will depend on where you choose to incorporate include the following:

How Many Shares Should be Authorized in a Certificate of Incorporation?

November 13, 2015 | Mark Figueiredo

Articles of Incorporation are an essential requirement of forming a California startup corporation. This document is filed with the California Secretary of State’s office and establishes the corporation as a legal entity as well as certain key facts about the corporation, including the name of the corporation, its principal place of business, the name and address of its registered agent, the purpose of the corporation, and others. One of the most important decisions that founders are faced with when filing an Articles of Incorporation is how many shares of stock to authorize. There are many considerations that should be addressed when making this decision, so it is important for anyone considering forming a corporation to discuss their circumstances and goals with an experienced Silicon Valley business law attorney.

Determining how many shares to issue can be complicated

Authorizing shares allows a company to divide ownership among many different parties and also makes it possible to raise capital. As such, it is important to authorize enough shares to accommodate growth but not so many as to make individual shares nearly worthless. Importantly, not all the shares that the Articles of Incorporation authorizes have to be issued, so a company can reserve shares for issuance at a later date. Some of the reasons it may be beneficial to authorize more shares than you plan on issuing include the following:

What is an 83(b) Election? How can an 83(b) Election Benefit Me or My Employees?

November 6, 2015 | Mark Figueiredo

More and more startups are issuing stock and other forms of equity as a form of compensation for work, especially in the early stages of a venture. This arrangement allows a business to recruit talent that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford and, if the company is successful, can result in a significant windfall for people who worked to get a company off the ground without a guarantee of compensation.

Generally speaking, when you are transferred equity in a company it is necessary to pay taxes on the fair market value of that equity as you would with any other type of income. In many cases, however, a grant of equity is subject to a vesting agreement, which means that the equity is not actually owned by the grantee until a certain period of time passes. As a result, at the time of the grant, nothing is actually owned, so there is no tax liability associated with the initial grant. When the stock vests, however, that income becomes realized, meaning that there may be significant tax liability, particularly if the company has done well.

83(b) elections can minimize tax liability associated with grants of equity

What is the Difference between an Incentive Stock Option (ISO) and a Non-Qualified Stock Option (NSO)?

October 30, 2015 | Mark Figueiredo

Many companies issue stock options as a form of compensation or as an incentive to various parties. At their most basic, stock options are the right of a party to buy company stock at a predetermined price for a period of time. Generally, the agreed-upon price is similar to the market price at the time at which the option is issued. Two of the most commonly issued types of stock options are Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) and Nonstatutory Stock Options (NSOs). The information below provides some basic information about each type and highlights some of the differences between the two. For specific information regarding these types of stock options and how they may affect your business, call the Structure Law Group today to speak with a qualified business attorney.

Incentive Stock Options

Incentive stock options can only be issued to employees, which means that members of the board of directors or independent contractors cannot be granted ISOs. These options are not subject to federal income tax when they are granted or exercised, but alternative minimum tax

Who Owns Intellectual Property Developed Under A Government Contract?

October 16, 2015 | Structure Law Group, LLP

Federal and state government contracts can be a lucrative source of business for private companies in a variety of industries, including defense contractors, medical researchers, software developers, and other companies that operate in the technology sector. In many cases, government initiatives drive innovation, and many items and inventions that we use on a daily basis were originally developed pursuant to a government contract.

While government contracts can be an excellent source of business for many private companies, it also carries with it inherent risks, including the loss or dilution of a company’s intellectual property rights. There are several statutory provisions that govern the way these rights are allocated, which tend to provide contractors with significant protections. That being said, it is still extremely important for parties contracting with the government to ensure that the contract that they sign preserves their rights in any intellectual property produced.

The specific types of rights that may be at issue depend largely on the type of intellectual property that is produced while fulfilling the contract. For example, certain types of IP may be eligible for copyright protection while other may be protected by registering a patent. Regardless of the specifics, it is extremely important that parties working with the government consult with an experienced attorney to ensure that their IP rights are protected.

How Can I Start a United States Business as a Non-Resident Foreign National?

October 2, 2015 | Mark Figueiredo

With the United States having an extraordinarily robust economy and the highest level of consumer spending in the world, many non-U.S. resident foreign nationals are justifiably interested in starting a business in the United States, but are not sure whether it is possible or where to begin. Fortunately, it certainly is possible, and in some cases, may even be accomplished without setting foot within the U.S. Below are some of the steps required for a foreign national who is not a U.S. resident to start a business.

Choose the state in which you wish to start your business

One of the first things that non-U.S. residents should understand about starting a business in the U.S. is that each state has its own laws regulating the way businesses are formed, the way they operate, and their tax treatment. While these laws tend to be very similar, there are often significant and nuanced differences that may have a significant impact on your ability to conduct business from overseas as well as your ability to minimize your tax liability.

What Legal Steps are Necessary when Starting a New Business?

September 25, 2015 | Mark Figueiredo

Every new business venture starts as an idea – where many entrepreneurs go off-course is in the implementation and execution of that idea. One of the most important aspects of starting a new business is establishing the business in a way that is compliance with the relevant rules and regulations in your state.

There are many different steps you may need to take to legally form your business to ensure that you comply with relevant laws in California, though the exact steps applicable to you will depend on the nature of your business goals. Consulting with an experienced business attorney can help you make all necessary decisions and ensure that you follow through with every required legal step to start operations on the right foot. Some of the steps that are essential to starting every new business are discussed below.

Choose a business entity

What is the Difference between Software Licensing and Software as a Service (SaaS)

September 18, 2015 | Structure Law Group, LLP

According to IT research and advisory firm Gartner, worldwide software revenue totaled $407.3 billion in 2013. More and more players are trying to break into the software market, and the ease of delivery through the Internet has significantly lowered the barrier for entry for many smaller companies. Two of the main ways of delivering software to consumers are (1) licensing the software to the consumer for download on a device and (2) providing it as a subscription service through the cloud. Below is some basic information regarding these two models and the ways in which they differ.

For more information, contact the Structure Law Group to discuss your situation with one of our San Jose business law attorneys.

Software Licensing

Should I have Employee Handbooks?

September 11, 2015 | Jaclyn Ford

When drafted properly, employee handbooks encourage open communication in the workplace, set employee expectations, and shield businesses from the financial burden of legal liability. Here are 3 reasons why your business should have an employee handbook.

3 Reasons Why Your Company Should Have an Employee Handbook

Establish Your Company’s Character